Dem lawmakers struggle to deal with fallout of Biden debate performance: ‘Disappointment’
Democrats were forced to grapple with a whirlwind of chaos on Capitol Hill Friday after many were left frustrated by President Biden’s debate performance on Thursday night. “I think the emotions of the night were basically disappointment, anger, and then by the end it was panic,” one House Democrat, granted anonymity to speak freely, told Fox News Digital. “Now, with that foundation, where do we go? Obviously, there are conversations that I believe need to be had at all levels, with the realization of, this is not just about the presidency, this is about down-ballot.” Democratic lawmakers were skittish on Friday morning as groups of reporters fervently chased even normally low-profile members for comment on the debate. Several declined to speak with Fox News Digital about the match-up, even when offered anonymity. BIDEN’S ‘DISASTER’ DEBATE PERFORMANCE SPARKS MEDIA MELTDOWN, CALLS FOR HIM TO WITHDRAW FROM 2024 RACE House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., looking noticeably weary, would not answer a reporter’s question on whether Biden was the most effective messenger for the party. He said instead, “President Biden is scheduled to speak today around noon, as I understand it, in North Carolina. I’m looking forward to hearing from President Biden. And until he articulates a way forward in terms of his vision for America at this moment, I’m going to reserve comment about anything relative to where we are at this moment, other than to say I stand behind the ticket.” A second anonymous House Democrat, jaded by the process in general but who did not watch the debate, told Fox News Digital, “I’ve been hearing everyone freaking out and s—, but debates in this day and age are stupid. Tell me the last debate you saw where you felt good after and learned something?” MEDIA CALLS FOR BIDEN TO WITHDRAW FROM 2024 RACE AFTER ‘DISASTER’ CNN DEBATE PERFORMANCE: ‘IT’S OVER’ “I bet you the majority of Americans would not choose these two old guys to be the only choice that they have,” the Democrat said. One senior House Democratic aide compared the mood on Capitol Hill to what they imagined Republicans went through after a high-profile gaffe by former President Trump during his administration. “Coming into work with absolute dread, knowing everyone is gonna come after you, and knowing you have nothing good to say,” the aide explained. Biden appeared tired and unfocused at times during his 90-minute face-off with Trump. At one point, Trump fired back, “I really don’t know what he said at the end of that sentence. I don’t think he knows what he said either.” It exacerbated long-simmering concerns that Biden’s mental acuity has lessened in his advanced age, despite his Republican rival being just three years younger. A longtime Democratic operative said lawmakers who spoke with them were alarmed by how the debate went. “What I’m hearing from people is a sense of disappointment, in that this was a moment that we could have capitalized on and that it was missed. This then leads to panicky responses, like, how do we fix it? What do we do? That’s the underlying discussion right now,” the operative told Fox News Digital. RASPY BIDEN GETS OFF TO A HALTING START AGAINST TRUMP IN THE FIRST 2024 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION DEBATE Even Democrats who spoke on the record reluctantly admitted that Biden’s performance was less than desirable, but they quickly insisted the election was about far more than a single bad performance. “The president doesn’t have a great debate night. That’s very clear. But, you know, this is more than just about one debate performance, but the future of America and the existential threat that Donald Trump poses to Americans and to our national security,” Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., told reporters. The top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., said, “I think he had a terrible night…bad debate.” Meeks still maintained that Biden “is the right man at the right time to do this job.” Meanwhile, others within the Democratic sphere expressed frustration at fellow left-wingers – particularly media pundits – who were making their concerns about Biden’s debate performance public. “For those who are worried, it’s time to do less worrying and get to work,” Joel Rubin, a Democratic strategist and former Obama administration Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs to the House, told Fox News Digital in a brief interview in response to the anonymously voiced concerns. “We’re four-plus months out, and the Democratic Party in moments like this, we tend to be experts at self-criticism, and we’re seeing it on full display today. But to win this election is not going to be based upon just one candidate being anointed by the heavens…it’s going to be about the whole infrastructure of the Democratic and progressive community mobilizing voters.” Rubin said, “I mean, just because the president had a rough night does not mean that he’s not up to the job and that we stay home and stop fighting for him. He’s earned our support. A rough performance on one night doesn’t eviscerate three and a half years of extraordinary accomplishments.”
Mayorkas moves to shield hundreds of thousands from deportation back to troubled Caribbean nation
The Department of Homeland Security announced Friday that it is shielding an extra 300,000 Haitian nationals from deportation and offering them work permits, citing the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the country. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorka said he is extending and redesignating Haiti for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months until February 2026. The redesignation allows Haitian immigrants, including those in the country illegally, who were not covered by prior designations to apply for the protection and for work authorization. To be eligible, Haitians must have been in the U.S. as of June 3. DHS predicts that it will allow an estimated 309,000 additional nationals to file for TPS, on top of those already protected. TRUMP REPEATEDLY HAMMERS BIDEN ON BORDER CRISIS TURNING US INTO ‘RAT’S NEST’: ‘KILLING OUR PEOPLE’ TPS grants protection for nationals in countries found to be unsafe for them to be returned and is based on three grounds: armed ongoing conflict, environmental disasters or “extraordinary and temporary conditions.” “Several regions in Haiti continue to face violence or insecurity, and many have limited access to safety, health care, food, and water. Haiti is particularly prone to flooding and mudslides, and often experiences significant damage due to storms, flooding, and earthquakes. These overlapping humanitarian challenges have resulted in ongoing urgent humanitarian needs,” DHS said in a release. “We are providing this humanitarian relief to Haitians already present in the United States given the conditions that existed in their home country as of June 3, 2024,” Mayorkas said in a statement. “In doing so, we are realizing the core objective of the TPS law and our obligation to fulfill it.” BIDEN ADMIN SHIELDS 330,000 IMMIGRANTS FROM DEPORTATION; TOP DEM SAYS ITS NOT ENOUGH There are currently 16 countries designated for TPS, including Venezuela, Ukraine, Honduras, El Salvador and Afghanistan. Mayorkas re-designated Venezuela last year, a move expected to have protected over 470,000 nationals. The use of TPS has repeatedly sparked pushback from Republicans and immigration hawks, who say that the use of TPS encourages illegal immigration from those countries, with people coming in anticipation of the next redesignation. When the Venezuelan TPS redesignation was announced, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) sources told Fox News that the decision will only compound the problem at the border and draw even more Venezuelan migrants because of the “pull” factor of being granted TPS status and the ability to get work authorization. ILLEGAL ACCUSED OF RAPING NY TEEN AFTER SLIPPING INTO SAN DIEGO FROM TURKEY There were 163,781 encounters of Haitian nationals at the border in Fiscal Year 2023, and that number has already been exceeded in Fiscal Year 2024. The Biden administration has also allowed Haitians to be flown into the U.S. for parole as part of the parole processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans (CHNV). That program allows 30,000 nationals into the country each month. The U.S. has been facing a three-year crisis at the southern border, which has become a top political issue ahead of the November election. CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS Republicans have blamed the crisis on border policies implemented by the Biden administration, which in turn has said it needs more funding and reforms from Congress, blaming Republican obstruction. It has taken a number of moves to tackle the crisis, including a new limit on asylum applications and a “parole in place” for some spouses of U.S. citizens. The administration has noted that there has been a 40% drop in encounters since the limit was announced, but Biden took heat from former President Trump on Thursday over his handling of the crisis. “He’s the one that killed people with the bad border including hundreds of thousands of people dying, and also killing our citizens when they come in. We are living right now in a rat’s nest,” Trump said in Thursday’s debate.
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Bipartisan lawmakers urge Biden to declare July as ‘American Patriotism Month’
FIRST ON FOX: A bipartisan group of House lawmakers is set to introduce a resolution calling on President Biden to declare the month of July as “American Patriotism Month.” The resolution, which recognizes the U.S. as the “greatest country on Earth” and aims to affirm support from the House of Representatives for the special designation for the month of July, is expected to be introduced by Texas GOP Rep. Roger Williams on Friday. Pointing to several events and dates that are of significance to U.S. history – including July 4, 1776, when the U.S. declared its independence from British rule – the resolution expresses the importance of “patriotism” and how it has united Americans in the past. The resolution, which was reviewed by Fox News Digital, states that “patriotism has bonded citizens of the United States of America since the foundation of our country,” adding that the “people of the United States hold a deep love for this country and have showed this through patriotic acts throughout history.” MARYLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FACES BACKLASH OVER PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, ‘MANDATORY PATRIOTISM’ “The divide in our country is clearer than ever, and there is no better time to rally behind American pride,” Williams told Fox News Digital. “Throughout history, we have created holidays for many groups, but fail to adequately celebrate the patriots who made our freedoms possible.” He added: “Any man or woman, regardless of their background, can be a patriot, and American Patriotism Month is an opportunity to remind us of the values that make our nation great. There is no reason for Biden to deny an opportunity to embrace American pride.” Co-sponsors include: Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola of Alaska, Republican Rep. Kat Cammack of Florida, Republican Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina, Republican Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska, Republican Rep. Barry Moore of Alabama, Republican Rep. Diana Harshbarger of Tennessee, Republican Rep. Josh Brecheen of Oklahoma, and Republican Rep. Nathaniel Moran of Texas. Also mentioned in the resolution are the events of June 6, 1944, when “over 73,000 Americans stormed the beaches of Normandy to protect democracy and liberty,” and remarks from past presidents who pushed for unity throughout the United States. The text specifically highlights remarks from the inaugural addresses of former Presidents John F. Kennedy, who insisted that Americans should “ask what you can do for your country,” and Ronald Reagan, who said that “no arsenal or no weapon in the arsenals of the world is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women.” Touting the “leadership of United States Presidents and the American people,” the resolution notes that “America was triumphant in the cold war against the Soviet Union and emerged as the beacon of hope for the free world.” THESE 3 POPULAR EXPRESSIONS DATE BACK CENTURIES, SURROUND THE 4TH OF JULY AND AMERICAN HISTORY Also recognized in Williams’ resolution, which has received support from the Eagle Forum, is the resounding unity in the U.S. following the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks in New York City. At that time, the resolution notes, “American patriots rushed to help one another, defend our country, and defend the values that as Americans we so deeply believe in.” The resolution also praises those aboard United Airlines flight 93 on September 11, who “fought against the hijackers and saved thousands of American lives,” as well as the “181,510 Americans [who] joined the ranks of Active Duty service and 72,908 [who] enlisted in the reserves” in the year after the attacks. 10 MOST PATRIOTIC US STATES AHEAD OF JULY 4: SEE IF YOUR HOME STATE MADE THE LIST “It is because of patriotic men, women, and children throughout all of history that America is the greatest country on Earth,” the resolution states. “Patriotism is a selfless act of love for one’s country and fellow citizens.” Paying tribute to the more than “2,000,000 military personnel who are enlisted to defend the freedoms of all Americans in a selfless act of patriotism,” the resolution also notes the significance of teaching “the younger generations about the importance of United States patriotism and loving one’s country.” Williams’ resolution calls on Biden to “issue an annual proclamation designating ‘American Patriotism Month,’” just one day after the president went toe-to-toe with his predecessor, former President Donald Trump, in a heated debate.
Body language expert’s brutal take on Biden’s debate against Trump: ‘Like a dead man walking’
President Biden and former President Donald Trump squared off in their high-stakes 2024 election debate rematch on Thursday and the contrast between the pair could not have been more stark, body language expert Susan Constantine tells Fox News. Constantine says the physical difference between the candidates was noticeable from the moment they both took the stage in Atlanta, and that set the tone for the rest of the evening, with Trump purveying strength and confidence in his mannerisms, while Biden showed a tired and slow demeanor, made worse by his raspy voice, mumbled answers and oftentimes dazed looks. “I was really concerned because the minute [Biden] walked out on that stage, I felt he [was] not feeling good,” Constantine said. “His skin was pale, it was pasty, and he literally looked like a dead man walking.” BIDEN’S ‘DISASTER’ DEBATE PERFORMANCE SPARKS MEDIA MELTDOWN, CALLS FOR HIM TO WITHDRAW FROM 2024 RACE “It was as if everything were in slow motion,” she continued. “His fingers and his lack of illustrators when he was talking, he was like a frozen statue up there on the stage. It really was painful to watch. [Trump] had a more serious demeanor. He didn’t make a lot of facial gestures as we normally see him do. He didn’t flash his great big smile at anybody. He was very serious when he walked out on the stage, and it really didn’t change at all through the entire debate.” Constantine added, “It made Biden look exceptionally weak, and made Donald Trump exceptionally powerful.” Biden’s campaign blamed the raspy voice on a cold, but the president’s uneven debate performance grabbed the vast majority of headlines from the debate, sparking a new round of calls from political pundits and some Democrats for the president to consider stepping aside as the party’s standard-bearer. But top Biden allies pushed back against such talk as they defended the president and targeted Trump for lying throughout the debate. Constantine says that it was clear that Biden had rehearsed many of his answers and went through his scripted answers very fast so as not to forget his lines. But when he did fail to recollect lines, it tripped him up, resulting in him giving long stares, oftentimes without blinking, which she describes as a “stalker stare.” “And the minute he forgot a couple of words, it was all over with, right, and then you could see that dropped mouth, and it was that dumbfounded look,” she explained. “His eyes would become very open and almost zombie-like. So he had that very flat stare in his eyes.” MEDIA CALLS FOR BIDEN TO WITHDRAW FROM 2024 RACE AFTER ‘DISASTER’ CNN DEBATE PERFORMANCE: ‘IT’S OVER’ She also said Biden had too many cosmetic injections which physically prevented him from making proper expressions. “He was really way too botoxed out, and that is a real problem because it can create some cognitive issues because when you shut down those emotions through facial effects, it can affect your brain,” Constantine explained. “It really almost felt abusive in my opinion, to literally allow him … [to] go through that kind of pressure knowing that he is in this high cognitive decline was to me, almost abusive.” “And it was sad to watch. My heart broke,” she added. “I mean, literally, I could have cried watching him try to force these words out the best he could and it was just super hard to watch. The emotion that I felt, of sympathy, of empathy, because he just truly looked pathetic.” Trump, on the other hand, showed discipline and commanded his stage space, Constantine said, adding that the lack of an audience played to Trump’s advantage as it kept him focused on the debate and not distracted. She said Trump also used his hand movements to convey his messaging. He also expressed his emotions in his face, and said that when he is hurt or attacked, it is noticeable as his face droops downward in a sad gesture. “He’s a big guy with big hands, right? And he captures the attention,” Constantine said. “He’s very big, and wide and open, and so everything in his gestures and in his movements are big and boisterous. His hands are no more than additional communicators of what he’s saying.” Constantine said Trump used a chopping motion when he was serious and used an “okay” sign when he was concentrating on something that was really important. He also gave an “L” sign at ear level which she terms as “listen and learn” while he also moved his hands towards his chest as if he is playing an accordion. “[Trump’s gestures] are much more rapid and much more commanding, much more intense. But that goes along with his personality so it is in sync with his personality,” Constantine said. “We’ve seen politicians where their gestures are so synchronized and they’re so on point that it loses its authenticity. He left that window open so that he was able to gesture, stay within that balance, stay within the frame, connect with the audience, or on camera and not over gesture but just gesture enough to get his point across.” “Very powerful,” she added. Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
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WATCH: Fox News Digital focus group voters raise concerns about Biden following debate with Trump
Not a single voter who participated in a Fox News Digital focus group said they felt better about President Biden after watching his performance at the CNN Presidential Debate on Thursday. Democrats, independents and Republicans who gave their real-time reaction to the debate said that former President Trump appeared stronger than Biden when it came to effective communication and the ability to appear like a leader. “He got off to a horrible start,” a male voter told focus group leader Lee Carter, president of Maslansky and Partners. “At the beginning he couldn’t even put a sentence together at the opening statement.” One woman expressed disappointment in the debate, noting that Biden and Trump spent more time attacking each other’s records than discussing the problems facing the country. BIDEN’S ‘DISASTER’ DEBATE PERFORMANCE SPARKS MEDIA MELTDOWN, CALLS FOR HIM TO WITHDRAW FROM 2024 RACE “I think they’re just battling each other, like, head on and not addressing the real problems. Like, they’re just trying to be on top of each other. It just felt like, I don’t know, a fist fight to me,” she said. A man who said he was “okay” with Biden’s performance suggested the president would have been helped if his microphone was closer to his mouth. Biden’s voice appeared raspy during the debate and at times he did not project at the level of his opponent, Trump. CLOSE BIDEN FRIEND AT NEW YORK TIMES SAYS PRESIDENT MUST DROP OUT, DEBATE MADE HIM ‘WEEP’ But another woman interjected, saying that Biden, as an executive, should be able to project and communicate his points. “Given that he was one of the earliest, as you mentioned, senators and has been in politics for decades, I don’t think that is an excuse,” she said. ‘WHAT WAS WRONG WITH HIM?’ MSNBC HOSTS GET ‘PANICKED’ TEXTS FROM DEMS MELTING DOWN OVER BIDEN DEBATE Another male voter compared the physical presence of the two candidates and said Trump had an edge over the 81-year-old Biden. “Okay, you just take Trump versus Biden on the physical and the ability to communicate: Trump is 78 years old also, but he is communicating as if he was 55 years old, and he’s getting his points across, and he’s acting like a leader,” a male voter said. At the onset of the discussion, about half of the focus group indicated they had concerns about Trump going into the debate. Voters said they were worried he would not act presidential, or that he would be too “aggressive” in going after Biden. More than half of the focus group later said Trump exceeded their expectations. Several said the debate format, in which a candidate’s microphone was muted when it wasn’t their turn to speak, ultimately helped Trump maintain composure and control. “I think they meant to help Biden but they ended up helping Trump,” one voter said. “Because they shut him up.”